Yesterday I sat down and started looking at my schedule for the next few weeks, and I realized just how many different events are coming up (and so quickly too!). Between mother’s day, my own graduation, my brother and sister’s graduation, and taking the next section of the CPA exam, there is just so much on my to-do list every single day. Inspired by my busy schedule, I started thinking up the outfits I would be wearing to all of these different events, and I decided I wanted to share them with all of you! Over the next couple weeks, you can keep an eye out on my blog for some special occasion worthy outfits and hopefully they will inspire you to create your own looks for these occasions.

This outfit is one of my more “casual” dressy looks, since the chambray top dresses it down a little more. I LOVE this striped skirt, I purchased it last year (it’s no longer available but I’ve linked some similar ones) and there are so many things to wear with it. It’s one of those skirts that just makes you want to twirl around with the way it moves! Another important piece of this ensemble is the white pumps. Now I think that oftentimes, women always think of black and nude pumps as being their “neutral” heels in their wardrobes. But, I think it’s so important not to forget about the white. They add a beautiful pop of color to the bottom half of any outfit. I especially love the way they complement the white stripes in this skirt. I’d love to hear about some of your special events coming up this spring, comment below!

XO, Katie

White Denim Love: Part II

May 2, 2016

Okay seriously, when I said I’ve been giving my white denim lots of love this past week, I meant it! I just love the look of the white as opposed to traditional denim in the spring and summertime. I can’t get over how the white makes all of the bright spring colors pop, and how could you not love that?!

I also need to throw a little sidebar in here and talk about my newfound obsession with these tassel earrings! When I first saw these, I wasn’t the biggest fan but I ordered them because I thought I may as well give them a shot, and I ended up LOVING them. I really thought they would be heavy and cumbersome, and I’m glad I was surprised to find that they are fairly light and just stunning up close! It’s such a fun way to add some more color to a look, and some fun texture. I can’t wait to wear this with so many more outfits throughout the summer.

White Denim Love

April 27, 2016

Whew, it’s finally Wednesday. The weather here in the midwest has once again swung back towards cooler temperatures, which meant busting out some long pants again. But since it is spring, I thought that white denim was a perfectly appropriate choice. I have also been living in this army green utility shirt lately, it’s ultra soft and comfy, making it the perfect light layer for when the weather changes while I’m in class! I’ve also been looking for every possible excuse to wear these sandals! I think they’re adorable and they were probably my biggest splurge in the past couple of months, so I’m loving finding all the different outfits to pair with them. This bag is also great for students, moms, or really anyone that might need space to carry lots of stuff. It’s under $50, so you don’t have to worry as much about it getting damaged or spilling things inside of it (easy to clean too!). I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for a good carry it all bag!

Also, don’t forget, you can now shop my look on the right hand side of my blog!! I’ve linked up the exact items (or similar if the item happens to be older) so you can duplicate my outfit. Everything in this post (even my lipstick!) has been linked. It’ll make your shopping 1000x easier. Comment below and let me know what you think!

XO, Katie

P.S. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and subscribe to All Things Gold so you never have to worry about missing a post!

Sweet Sundays: Molten Lava Cakes

April 24, 2016

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite and super easy tasty desserts. This chocolatey treat is sure to impress anyone, and takes almost no time to whip up. You can use just about any kind of baking chocolate you want, I prefer the semi-sweet, but if you’re someone that loves even sweeter chocolate, you could definitely add it! I also alter this recipe a little bit because as a college student I do not own individual custard cups, so I just use a plain ole muffin pan and it works great (makes dishes a little easier too). Just be sure to grease each individual cup & sprinkle with cocoa. I’ve shared the recipe and a few photos of the baking process below.

Ingredients

6 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour*

: Additional powdered sugar, if desired; Unsweetened baking cocoa

Directions

Heat oven to 450°F. Grease bottoms and sides of six (6-oz) custard cups with shortening; dust with cocoa. In 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool slightly.
In large bowl, beat whole eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk or eggbeater until well blended. Beat in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and flour. Divide batter evenly among custard cups. Place cups on cookie sheet with sides.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until sides are set and centers are still soft (tops will be puffed and cracked). Let stand 3 minutes. Run small knife or metal spatula along sides of cakes to loosen. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over each cup; turn plate and cup over. Remove cup. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Garnish with kumquats. Serve warm.

Molten Chocolate Cakes recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

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The finished (and delicious!) final product. If you have questions or comments, leave them below! Happy Sunday & be sure to keep a look out for other Sweet Sunday posts, coming soon to All Things Gold!

XO, Katie

Graduation Dress Decisions

April 20, 2016

It’s hard to believe it’s already that time of year when graduation is just around the corner! I always feel like I sound old when I say this, but it honestly feels like yesterday that I was just moving into the dorms as a college freshman, and I am now staring at my Masters program graduation in less than a month. Time sure does fly! Since it is graduation season, and that means lots of graduation parties as well as ceremonies, I’ve been on the lookout for the perfect graduation dress.

Dresses for graduations and/or graduation parties can sometimes be tricky. Especially in the midwest, you never know what the weather will do, and you want to choose something appropriate since graduation celebrations typically involve lots of family. I’ve linked some of my favorites below. They are all perfect for graduation but also can definitely be worn to some of those upcoming summer weddings too!

Wondrous in a Million Dress This dress is a great classic piece, it’s a gorgeous color (who doesn’t love a fabulous navy?) and the lace gives it that extra feminine detail that really tops it off. I love this as a graduation dress because it would be great under a gown and would layer well with cardigans or wraps in case graduation day turns out to be a little chiller. The versatile navy will pair so well with neutral wedges (that won’t get stuck in grass!) or any of the adorable block heel sandals that are out there right now. Another thing I love about this dress, is it could easily transition to fall with the right pieces, which makes it easier to spend a little more.
Felicity & Coco Crepe Shift Dress This little number is a great choice because it comes in tons of colors (in case you’re feeling like showing a little school spirit on graduation day!) and it’s a total classic. Every girl needs at least one good basic shift dress in her closet, so if you don’t have one, get this one!
Adelyn Rae Ombre Lace Sheath Dress I am in love with dress because the color is so gorgeous with the ombre and lace detail. Lavender is such a great timeless spring color, and I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t seem to own a lot of lavender pieces so it’d be a great addition to my closet!
Lily Pulitzer Callie Lace A-Line Dress I’m not normally a big pink person, while it has a definite place in my wardrobe, it’s certainly not my go-to when dress shopping. However, I LOVE this dress. While it’s a little pricier than some of the others on this list, it just makes me think of summertime sunshine every time I see it.

What are some of your favorites for the upcoming graduation season?

XO, Katie